Speaking at a press conference in Vancouver Wednesday, Heiltsuk hereditary chief Frank Brown said that the spill response was “chaotic and inefficient” and equated it to further “cultural genocide.”

Heiltsuk Nation calls the shipment of petroleum products “careless.” Say the want environment and financial compensation for the Nathan E Stewart spill, + want courts to take a better look at how tankers are regulated along BC’s coast.“We have to do better.” @BlackPressMedia

The Nathan E. Stewart ran aground on a reef in the Seaforth Channel near Bella Bella, spilling approximately 110,000 litres of diesel and another 2,000 litre of lubricants into the water and causing an estimated $12 million in damage to the tug and the barge it was towing.

A Safety Transportation Board investigation into the spill found that neither Transport Canada regulations, nor the boat operators, had done enough to handle the “inevitable” fatigue brought on by the crew’s schedule.

Speaking after the press conference, Chief Marilyn Slett said that her nation is still suffering the after-effects of the spill.

“There’s been a clam fishery that’s been shut down for two years. This is our winter economy, it brings our community through the winter,” said Slett.

“There’s the ecosystem in the incident area, the wildlife… it’s not the same.”

She feels like her nation was left out of the spill response and the environmental assessment that followed.

“It was driven by the polluter, by Kirby. Canada and B.C. did not feel like they had the responsibility to consult with us,” Slett said.

“The process is inadequate and does not include Indigenous communities.”

She said that the Heiltsuk were launching their suit not just to secure “millions” in financial compensation for themselves but to ensure that all First Nations across the province are better prepared.

“Our communities need to be trained, we need to have the infrastructure in our communities, the supplies… and we also need to have some management control over what that looks like,” said Slett.

“The incident command structure that was put into place does not include First Nations.”